Brandi Carlile

She was one of the headline artists on the music festival cruise we went on in February. I was not at all familiar with her until the night of her show. She comes out with just a cellist and opens with Elton John's "Sixty Years On." I was floored. Her covers were great, her own songs very very good, her voice amazing, her good taste and maturity -- the whole package just knocked me out. Her encore was a duet with Shawn Colvin (also on the cruise) of Jane Siberry's "Calling All Angels", followed by a solo performance of "Hallelujah." Both of those are overplayed I suppose, but they are still two of my very favorite songs of the past couple of decades and she nailed them. Wow!